Finished! Edwardian Walking Skirt.

Like most of my historical sewing projects, I learned a lot by making mistakes. The biggest mistake I made on this one was using the wrong weight of material for this skirt. There’s a great post by The Pragmatic Costumer about some of the most obvious and avoidable mistakes you can make while constructing historical clothing. Of course, I didn’t find this post until I was almost finished with the skirt. Having learned of my mistake, you would think I would do whatever I could to reduce the weight of the thing, and you would be wrong. I kept the large hem allowance so I can let it down to a longer length in the future and added four appliques and buttons to the front of the skirt. I think they look fabulous.

I also made a real effort to finish this skirt a little more finely than I usually do. It is finished with french seams on the inside and I actually bothered to use a hem stitch and the correct foot when finishing the bottom.

The shirt isn’t a historical piece, just something I found at Goodwill, but I didn’t want to run around in front of my neighbors in just a corset and skirt so I threw it on. I had to change locations in order to get the full length of the skirt on camera.

Yes, I am wearing Converse in this picture. Boots will be coming at the end of summer.

I don’t know if I mentioned it before, but I live in quite an old building. It was built in 1917 (by the first two lady architects in town!) and this little foyer is a remnant of its former splendor as a luxury apartment building. It’s also the only place I have access to full daylight outside of my bathroom.

I am going to make a blouse to go with this skirt specifically, out of that sumptuous blue cotton lawn I mentioned earlier. I think the completed outfit is going to look fantastic. I may even brave the world beyond my brick walls while wearing it! I think finishing a completed outfit, from the underwear up deserves a little more celebration than just taking a few pictures around my building.

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Oh wow!!! The skirt looks so amazing! And you totally fooled me with your blouse, by the way, until I read that it was from Goodwill, I thought you’d made it to go with the skirt because they look like they were made for each other. 😉

Oooh! French seams! I still haven’t attempted those, out of fear, I’d love to see yours!!

And I agree, once the outfit is complete, it definitely deserves a proper celebration! As do you!!

p.s. Also, I love that your building was built by the first two lady architects in town, that is so damned cool!